adiabatic process (redirected from Adibatic cooling)

adiabatic process [¦ad·ē·ə¦bad·ik prä·səs]

(thermodynamics)

Any thermodynamic procedure which takes place in a system without the exchange of heat with the surroundings.

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Adiabatic process

A thermodynamic process in which the system undergoing the change exchanges no heat with its surroundings. An increase in entropy or degree of disorder occurs during an irreversible adiabatic process. However, reversible adiabatic processes are isentropic; that is, they take place with no change in entropy. In an adiabatic process, compression always results in warming, and expansion always results in cooling. See Entropy, Isentropic process

During an adiabatic process, temperature changes are due to internal system fluctuations. For example, the events inside an engine cylinder are nearly adiabatic because the wide fluctuations in temperature take place rapidly, compared to the speed with which the cylinder surfaces can conduct heat. Similarly, fluid flow through a nozzle may be so rapid that negligible exchange of heat between fluid and nozzle takes place. The compressions and rarefactions of a sound wave are rapid enough to be considered adiabatic. See Sound, Thermodynamic processes